Shovelling the white stuff

The winter before Charlotte was born was a winter for the snow loving enthusiasts. It was a LONG one with A LOT of snow. We seemed to be forever having snow storms and even had 2 snow days in one week in March. I remember this because it was around St Patrick's Day and so we had three days off in two weeks. 


By the end of that winter we had had enough of shovelling. Andrew's back was bad, I was pregnant so I couldn't lift too much and well, enough was enough. We vowed that the next year we'd have a snowblower. The following fall, after Charlotte was born, we did just that. We got a snowblower (thanks Danny for the baby bonus). Before we did though, we were very lucky to have some great neighbours who would come over and help once they had their driveways cleared. Especially when they saw me out shovelling by myself. That's like a magnet around here, or, at least it was before we got the snowblower. Now, when they see me out there by myself, they don't normally come over. Well, our neighbour Ben does and we help him out too, so it's nice. But, the thing is, I don't actually want them to come over.


What the neighbours don't realize when they see me, a woman, out shovelling by myself, is that it's my choice. It's not that my husband is lazy and can't be bothered to come out. It's because I've insisted on going out by myself. Don't get me wrong. If we've had a lot of snow and the blower is required, he's out there. I refuse to learn how to use the blower because then I won't have that out when I need it. Not that having a 5 month old isn't an out. But, if we've had a lot of snow, we all go out to help shovel. Well, Charlotte plays and Harrison, if he's awake, sits in his car seat watching the fun, otherwise we're out there with the monitor in one of our pockets. I have to say though, I am the only female (that I can see) out shovelling. The rest of the drives are being shovelled, plowed or snowblowed by the men of the house. I am sure that's how they want it. Andrew does go out there by himself (yesterday as an example), but he'd rather me help, and if I can, I do. After all, although the snowblower clears the majority of it, the drive still needs to be shovelled and tidied (I like going all the way down to the pavement).


I enjoy shovelling (unless it's a long drawn out winter). It's a chance to get out in the fresh air and get some exercise. There's the sense of accomplishment you feel when you come in and look out and see the driveway cleared and looking nice and neat. But, then there's the plow, who almost always comes down right after you've gotten undressed and everything put away. Unless we have to go out, or it's going to turn hard, we always leave that snow until later, once the kids are in bed. And, when it's time to clear it, I jump at the chance to do it myself. Again, I imagine all the men wondering why I'm out there instead of Andrew. Again, what they don't know if that I've often sneaked out without him knowing so that I can do it myself. By myself. That's the key. I'm by myself. It's dark out, the night is usually calm after a snow storm and it's just so quiet and peaceful and I am left to my own thoughts. I sometimes have a little competition with myself seeing how much I can lift, how far I can throw it, how fast I can clear it. I think about the day's events, what the next couple of days have to bring, just whatever comes into my head. It's just me, myself and I.


I spoke to my Mom about it the other day. I remember growing up she was always out there with Dad shovelling and the majority of the time she did it all herself. In the nighttime. Turns out, it was for the same reasons. Some quiet time without the three of us kids.


This morning, we took the kids to their swimming classes and Andrew shovelled just enough for us to get out (it was 7:30 on a Sunday morning) and I told him I'd do the rest once we got home. After my run and breakfast, I went out for a little more exercise in the form of snow shovelling. It took no time to clear and so, I went next door and did theirs too. They're away (someone else cleared their drive yesterday) so I thought I'd return the favour as Ben often helps us with ours. Well, I was half way through when the guy who lives across the road came over to see if Ben was away. He has a plow on his truck you see. Well, I told him I thought so and he said, "don't worry about that, I'll get it with the plow". Well, you should have seen the look on his face when I said "that's OK, I'll do it. It's an excuse to stay outside".  "Ok" he said and off he went.  


And, I went back to merrily shovelling the driveway. It wasn't long before I was finished and went back to reality. A wonderful reality, but the break was nice too.


I highly recommend it.

Harrison and I shovelling during our first snowstorm of the season in November